Aug. i6, 1915 Prickly-Pears as a Feed for Dairy Cows 



423 



Table XIV. — Influence of prickly-pear on percentage of fat in milk. Averages for the 

 various feeds for 10 days before and 10 days after the change of ration 



INFLUENCE OF PRICKLY-PEAR ON -FLAVOR OF MILK AND QUALITY OF 



BUTTER 



The milk from the experimental cows was tested for flavor almost 

 daily throughout the feeding trials, and at no time was there any objec- 

 tionable flavor detected. Some dairymen in southern Texas believe 

 that prickly-pear injures the keeping quality of milk. In order to 

 ascertain whether there was any basis for this belief, samples were on 

 three different occasions taken from cows that were receiving prickly- 

 pear and from cows that were fed hay as the only roughage. These 

 samples were placed in clean bottles and kept at ordinary atmospheric 

 temperature. No difference was obser\^ed in the time required for sour- 

 ing, and no objectionable flavor was manifest at any time. It is prob- 

 able that under ordinary farm conditions milk from cows fed on prickly- 

 pear does not keep so well as milk from cows fed on hay, because milk 

 from the former is more liable to become contaminated with acid-pro- 

 ducing bacteria, owing to the laxative character of prickly-pear and the 

 consequent insanitary condition of the cow and stable. 



